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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. A. ROSENi DRUGGISTS BOTTLE CASE. No. 425,523. Patented Apr. 15,1890.

t Yb 55f; -55- UNITED I STATES PATENT Orrion.

GUS A. ROSEN, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN C. PENNIE,

OF XVASHINGTION, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. I

DRUGG|STS BOTTLE-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,523, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed June 21, 1887. Serial No. 241,972- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUS A. ROSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in

the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Druggists Bottle-Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a safeguard, in dispensing poisons and compounding prescriptions from bottles and like receptacles, against the occurrence of mistakes due to the mechanicalhabitsofthe pharmacist. To this end I inclose the receptacles within a suitable cabinet provided with means for locking them in place therein, the arrangement of parts being such that in the normal use of the device but one of the receptacles can be released at a time, and then only by moving a finger connected with and operating the lock-releasing mechanism until it shall point, on an indicator upon the cabinet, to an inscription corresponding to the label upon that particular receptacle.

My invention furthermore furnishes a construction whereby without actual premeditation and considerable inconvenience it is impossible, after the removal of one of the receptacles, to remove a second without replacing the first, the removal of the first automatically locking the releasing mechanism of all the others. Provision is also made for the ringing of an electric alarm in the event of the attempted removal of any other receptacle than that pointed out upon the indicator, the alarm continuing until the attempt is abandoned. This alarm, moreover, in case of the unwarranted possible removal by tampering with the locking mechanism of a second receptacle without replacing the first, will automatically sound until the proper conditions are reestablished.

In carrying out my invention I have devised the construction hereinafter more particularly described, and illustrated in the accompanye ing drawings, wherein- Figure i. represents a front elevation of a cabinet embodying the same.

Fig. 2 represents a partial rear view of the cabinet with the back panel removed. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig..

1, and Fig. 4: represents a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Each bottle rests upon the base D of the cabinet within one of a series of outwardlyopening recesses a formed therein, and beneath an overhanging ledge 0, arranged within the case in proximity to the seat or recess for.each bottie, is a catch which, when the bottles are in position, prevents their removal. In this instance this catch shown as comprising the pivoted lever e, mounted to oscillate freely immediately below each of the bottles upon a common fixed axis f and within a groove or channel 9, formed in the base I), and the vertical rod 72/, connected to the lever e at its rear end and extending vertically upward through guidegrooves in the crosspieces or partitions E F. These levers are provided at their forward ends with the pro jections b and immediately in the rear of their fulcrunis with springs c, normally held down by the bottles and tending to press the latter upwardly against the ledge C, so as to be firmly retained in place. Each of the separate catches thus formed is so fulcrumed that upon the removal of any bottle from its recess a the forward end of its supporting-lever 6 will descend and the rear end will rise, causing its red It to rise through its guidegrooves.

In the upper rear portion of the cabinet is located a pair of metallic rollers G G, upon which is mounted a steel ribbon k. This ribbon is provided with flanges at, extending over the upper portion of the block E, which is cut away, as shown, to accommodate the said flanges. A perforation m, in the same vertical plane with the guide-grooves of the blocks E F, is made in the ribbon, said perforation being of size sufficient to permit the passage through it of any one of thevertical rods h, and being preferably edged with insulating material. Above the ribbon is located a third cross -block or partition H, provided with guide-grooves in line with those of the blocks E F.

To the ribbon is attached a pointer or finger L, extending through a longitudinal slot 8 in the front panel of the cabinet, and being adapted to move therein across an index, upon which are spaced in order the names of the poisons contained in the several bottles.

Small arrow-heads 1), located exactly at the center of each of the inscriptions upon the index, serve to assist in setting the pointer accurately, the relative arrangement of parts being such that whenthe pointer is opposite the central portion of one of the spaces bear ing an inscription the perforation m in the steel ribbon k is brought in alignment with the particular guide-grooves in the blocks E F H which contain the vertical rod attached to the lever upon which the poison-bottle hearing a like label is supported.

. The operation of my invention will be readily understood. The bottles being in position within the cabinet, it is impossible to remove any one therefrom without first arranging the pointer L opposite one of the inscriptions on the index, inasmuch as the ribbon K, which,

is imperforate except at the point m, opposes a barrier in the path of the vertical rods h of the catches, preventing any of them from rising sufficiently to release any of the bottles. An attempt even at removing any bottle in this instance brings the corresponding vertical rod h in electrical contact with the ribbon K, thereby closing an electric circuit from one pole of a battery L, through the axis f, lever e, rod h, ribbon k, wheel G, electric bell X, to the other pole of the battery, thereby ringing an alarm. WVhen now it is desired to remove, for instance, the bottle labeled Arsenic from the cabinet, the pointer is moved along until it is opposite the arrow-head and midway of the inscription Arsenic upon the panel-index. In moving thepointerthe endless ribbonK is moved with it,and when thepointer stops at themiddle of theinscription Arsenic the perforation'm is exactlyin alignment with the guide-grooves for the vertical rod connected with the lever upon which the bottle labeled Arsenic is supported. That bottle may thereupon be slipped out from the cabinet over the projection b, the forward end of the lever e descending and the vertical rod h rising through the perforation on into one of the guide-grooves of the cross-block H. The catch being overbalanced at its forward end, as before described, the needle h will remain within its perforation and prevent further movement of the ribbon K until the arsenic bottle has been replaced. Until, in the case supposed, the arsenic bottle is replaced another bottle could not be accidentallyremoved. In the first place, the index-finger, being locked against movement, could not be reset without deliberately releasing it by raising the forward end or depressing the rear endof the catchan operation attended with considerable difficulty; secondly, if by tampering with i the said catch or in any other way a second bottle could be abstracted, the vertical rod attached to the supporting-lever of one or the other of the bottles would be in contact with I the steel ribbon and would complete an electric circuit through the bell-signal X and battery Z, thereby sounding an alarm, which would continue until one of the bottles was replaced.

It will be noted as characteristic of my invention that an alarm-is not given when the right bottle is removed from the casing; that an attempt at the removal of a wrong bottle or of any bottle before the index is manipulated is signalized immediately by a temporary alarm lasting until the attempt is abandoned, and that the unwarranted removal of which is probably as frequent an occasion of mistake as a wrong selection in the first. instance, is signalized by a continuous alarm until one of the bottles is replaced.

In the form of my invention shown in the drawings I have for convenience illustrated 1 .the same as applied to a single row of bottles. It will be evident, however, that without departing from the spirit of the invention the number of bottles or rows of bottles and their .arrangement orlocation within the cabinet each bottle preventing its removal from the seat, and an adjustable barrier arranged in position to prevent the unlocking of the entire I series of catches and thereby to prevent the removal of any of the bottles, said barrier having an opening into which, when the barrier is adjusted into proper position, one of the catches will pass to allow the corresponding bottle to beremoved and to hold said barrier against further movement until the catch is retracted, substantially as described.

2. ,A druggists bottle-case having seats 'or receptacles for the bottles, a separate catch for each bottle preventing its removal from the seat, and an adjustable barrier arranged in position to prevent the unlocking of the entire series of catches and thereby preventing the removal of any of the bottles, said barrier having an opening into which, when the barrier is adjusted into proper position, one of the catches will pass to allow thecorresponding bottle to be removed, the catches being arranged in position out of contact with said barrier by the bottles, and the withdrawal of any bottle causing its catch to pass into the opening in said barrier, substantially as described.

5 a second bottle without replacing the first,

3. A. drnggists bottle-case provided with seats or recesses for the reception of bottles, a series of catches extending one beneath each bottle, said catches being each provided atone end with a projection retaining the" bottles in place, and a movable barrier having a releasing-aperture and being interposed in the path of movement of the opposite ends of the entire series of catches, said last-mentioned ends being held positively away from the barrier by the bottles, substantially as described.

4. A druggists bottle-case provided with seats or recesses for the reception of bottles, a series of catches one extending beneath each bottle, said catches being provided with a projection retaining the bottles in place and a spring extending to the rear of the fulcrum, and a movable barrier having a releasingaperture and being interposed in the path of movement of the opposite ends of the entire series of catches, said last-mentioned ends being held positively away from the barrier by the bottles, substantially as described.

5. A druggists bottle-case provided with a separate retaining-catch for each of the several bottles, a movable barrier limiting the movement of the series of catches and locking them in operative position, said barrier having a releasing-aperture permitting the adjustment of the barrier so as to unbar the catch of a single bottle only on the removal of the bottle, a pointer connected with the movable barrier, and a scale for indicating the location of the aperture and the catch released, substantially as described.

6. A drnggists bottle-case provided with seats or recesses for the reception of the bottles, a separate catch extending beneath each bottle, said catch being provided at one end with a projection retaining the bottle in place, and a movable endless ribbon supported on rollers and extending across in the path of movement of the opposite ends of said catches and provided with an aperture for releasing one member of the series and blocking the ribbon at the removal of the corresponding bottle, substantially as described.

7. A drnggists bottle-case provided with seats or recesses for the reception of the bottles, a separate catch extending beneath each bottle, comprising a pivoted lever and a vertically-movin g rod, the lever having at its forward end a projection and at its opposite end connected to the vertical rod, and the forward arm of'the lever being heavier than the rear arm and having a support extending to the rearof its fulcrum and upon which the bottle rests, a movable endless band in ving a releasing-aperture, and an indicating-pointer attached to the band 8. A druggists bottle-case consisting of a recessed base for the reception of the bottles, separate levers extending beneath each recess and having on their forward ends retaining projections for the bottle, a projecting ledge extending over the bottles, a rear compartment containing vertical rods connected to the rear ends of said levers, guiding-blocks for said rods, and a movable endless band having an aperture and a pointer and supported upon rollers, said rear compartment being slotted to permit the passage of the pointer and having an indicating-scale, substantially as described.

9. A druggists bottle-case provided with a separate retaining-catch for each of the several bottles, a movable barrier therefor, having a releasing-aperture, said catches being normally held out of contact with said barrier by the several bottles, and an electric alarm adapted to be sounded when any circuit is completed between the barrier and the mechanism of any of the catches, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

eUs A. ROSEN.

Witnesses:

M. A. BALLINGER, JOHN PENNIE. 

